Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Crock Pot Lasagna

Crock Pot Lasagna

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1- 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
1 jar (24 oz) of your favorite gluten-free spaghetti sauce
1 cup ricotta cheese (I think most kinds are GF, but this one says so right on their website)
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded and divided
6 Tinkyada lasagna noodle sheets
1/2 cup parmesan cheese (I use Kraft in the canister)

1. Brown ground beef with onion and garlic. Add tomatoes and spaghetti sauce. Simmer 5 minutes and allow flavors to mix.

2. Mix ricotta cheese and one cup of mozzarella cheese in a small bowl.

3. Combine remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella with parmesan cheese.

4. Spoon 1/3 of ground beef mixture into a 5 Qt. crock pot. Break 3 dry lasagna noodles in half (or into smaller pieces if necessary) and arrange them over the beef mixture. Top with half of the ricotta mixture. Repeat with another layer of beef, noodles, and ricotta. Finish with the remaining 1/3 of beef mixture and top with the mozzarella/parmesan mixture.

5. Cover crock pot and cook on low for about 4-5 hours.

**I have found that if I cook it longer than 4-5 hours, the noodles get kind of mushy, but 4 hours is usually perfect and 5 hours is still OK; 6 hours is really kind of pushing it, though.